Support for washing machines



March 10, 1931.

M. E. BLOCK SUPPORT FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed Feb. 20, 1928 INYENT E! E. LZf/YM AT T HENLEY E Patented Mar. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT} OFFICE MEYER n. BLOCK, or rnonre, ILLINOIS SUPPORT FOR WASHING MACHINES Application filed February 20, 1928. Serial No. 255,792.

This invention relates to washing machines and more particularly to the manner of supporting the leg portions thereof and to permit a necessary adjustment of additionaldetachable leg portions.

One of the objects of the invention is in the provision of the specially formed and integral support for the leg portions of a- Washing machine, which greatly assists in 10 the assembly of the washing machine, as well as providing an accessibility of parts for adjusting auxiliary leg portions thereby permitting raising or lowering of the washer Before referring to the drawings, it might be Well to call attention perhaps briefly to that portion of a washing machine which we might say is not generally considered of great importance, but which really becomes of importance when one considers the matter of assembly of the machine, namely, the supporting means for the leg portions.

Washing machine development comprehended first merely the extension of a Wooden tub portion to form the legs and even in this case, some means was provided for supporting the legs, either by cross braces or the like. However, when washing machines became production jobs, and were made entirely of metal, the problem of supporting the legs in such manner that not only was balance of the machine obtained but such support of the legs and balance therefore as would permit the machine to be assembled quickly and without the necessity of making adjustments therefor. Ordinarily, in the assembly of washing machines, the leg portions have necessarily had to be supported and usually some sort of cross braces were used to conmeet the legs. Applicant, in the production of the washing machine shown herein,ap parently for the'first time devised a simple and efiicient supporting frame for the leg portions which were attached at their upper ends to. the tub. This integrally formed frame not only provided a means for quickly tying the lowerlends of the leg portions in a solidsupport but also comprehended the idea of quickly assembling with these leg portions other auxiliary leg portions which were capable of adjustment upwardly and downwardly. Also, the provision of this character of supporting means for the legs resulted in quickening the assembly of the machine.

Referring to the drawings, a tub member is shown at 10, to which three leg portions 11 are adapted to be secured, as at 12. The

' other leg portion is attached in substantially the same manner, with the exception that the leg forms a housing. 13 for the driving mechas nis-m, not shown. It maybe considered that as far as the integrally formedframing support is concerned, the legs are exactlysimilar, inasmuch as the legs are alike at a point adjacent their lower ends. These legs 11 are formed of metal and they are castor stamped, in the present instance same being shown as formed of sheet metal and stamped, to form a substantially right angle curve, however, at the corner, as shown at 14. 7

Applicant now takes a frame 15 which is bent in the substantially rectangular forma; tion shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, it being noticed, however, that upon three of the corners the strip is depressed inwardly in a curved manner, as shown at 16. The opposing ends of the integral frame 15 project out- Wardly, as at 17, in a manner to permit final clamping ,of the ends together by means of the plural bolt members 18, the outer ends permitting a somewhat different connection with the lower end of leg 19, said leg forming also a housing for the driving means for the washer. The actual outer ends ofthe member 17 are terminated as'at 20, to co-operate with the stamped sheet metal leg portion '19 in a manner to receive one of the detachable leg portions 21; These detachable leg poitions, which permit, as will later be de; scribed, the raising or lowering of the washer as the case may be, are formed of stub cylinder portions 22, the same being adapted to receive in a. detachable manner conventional casters 23. These tubes 22 are adapted to be inserted between the curved portions 14 of the lower ends of the legs 11 and the depressed portion 16 of the integral frame 15. Means for holding the stamped metal leg portions in a fixed position with respect to the frame 15 is provided in a plurality of bolt members 24, same projecting thronghythje integral frame 15 in order to fixedly tie the leg portions and integral frame together.

The insertion of the tubes 2 between the integral frame and the curved leg portions is accomplished readily, said tubesprojecting upwardly within the leg. portions and braced at an upper point by means of surrounding clamp portions 25, the latter'forming also a part ofthe leg portions. Thus, it is'found that a double bracing means .is provided for the leg portions. Means for adjusting the detachable leg portions within the legs 11 and-19 to accomplish the desired raisingor lowering of the washer is provided in the set screws 26 which arescrewed intothe integral frame and are adapted to press against the tubular members upon their inner sides. It is apparent that adjustment of vtheset screws permits desired raising or lowering ofthe washer.

By such a simple and efficient manner of assembling the supporting means for the leg portions of a washer, one also finds it very easy to attach a motor supporting member 27 upon the framing, said motor supporting. memberbeing readily secured, as at28, to.

opposed sides of the frame.

A cast filler piece 29, provided with a. set screw 26, is located between outwardly pros, jecting ends 17 of the integral frame 15 for permanently securing a fixed relative posi: tion of the ends 17 with relation to leg 19. and secured in place by bolts 18 best shown. in Figs. 2 and 3.

In view of the description of the integral framing, and the fact that same is not only- 7 clearly shown in the drawing, but simplein. construction and the manner'of assembling.

same with respect to the main leg portions as well as detachable leg portions, it. is not, thought necessary to further discuss the assembly feature.

lVhatI claim is:

A support for a tub comprising depending leg portions secured thereto, adjustableleg portions connected to the depending legpor tions, an integrally formed rectangular frame connected to said depending leg portionsat three of its corners, said corners being; de:

pressed inwardly to leave spaces. between, said frame and said depending leg portions;

said adjustable leg portions havingrtubular er a p e to e aid, paces, screwmembers in said frame adapted toreleasably 

